Purdue president urges graduates to enjoy trek to their futures

Jischke spoke to 2,872 graduates and their families and friends during ceremonies in Elliott Hall of Music. This was the university's 200th commencement.

Jischke told graduates that while the world seems small and so much has already been explored, great discovery still remains a possibility. He said that commencement marks just the beginning of their journey into the future.

"It is a journey that will be filled with excitement and success," Jischke said. "I regret to tell you it will also be rocked by troubles and failure. Such is the richness of life.

"To appreciate fully the exhilaration of standing atop the mountain, we first have to experience the long struggle up the steep and slippery slopes. It is important to remember as you begin this trek that the joy of life is not in reaching your future. The joy of life is in the journey itself."

Few people in the history of Purdue have enjoyed life and discovery more than Harvey Wiley, Jischke said. Wiley is known as the father of the 100-year-old U.S. Food and Drug Act, which changed life for Americans and continues to impact our health and welfare today, he said.

Wiley also was one of the university's six original faculty members and attended the first commencement in 1875 when one student was awarded a bachelor's degree.

Jischke said Wiley was a pioneer in many other ways at Purdue: he was the first chemistry professor, the first professor of physics, and he started Purdue's first baseball team. He also was the first state chemist for Indiana.

Wiley left Purdue in 1883 and went on to become chief of the U.S. Bureau of Chemistry. In this position, he worked on research and discovery into the quality of the public's food and drug supply.

"Some of the drugs being sold to consumers in those days were nothing more than sugar water," Jischke said. "Much worse, others contained opium, morphine, heroin and cocaine.

"These were readily available without a prescription. Harmful substances were also being placed in the food supply. And attempts to regulate any of this had always failed because of political pressures."

For more than 20 years, Wiley tirelessly researched, argued and lobbied unsuccessfully to get something done. Finally, pushing his research forward, he ran controlled food tests on human subjects. Jischke said Wiley's years of research and persistence resulted in the first U.S. Pure Food and Drug Act, passed in 1906.

"The U.S. Pure Food and Drug Act finally started the process of cleaning up food sold in stores," he said. "The act also changed the entire drug industry. The Pure Food and Drug Act is credited with doing more to reduce drug addiction in this country than any other law that has ever been passed."

Jischke told graduates there is much to learn from the life and work of Wiley. When Wiley returned to the Purdue campus in 1908 to speak at the 34th commencement, he told graduates America's greatest resource of all is its people, especially its young people. Wiley also said that Rockefeller and Carnegie would gladly exchange all their millions for the youth that the graduates possessed.

"We actually begin life with the most valuable resource we will ever possess: time," Jischke said. "And we spend a little bit of it every day of our lives. The question for you graduates today is how will you invest this great wealth on your journey to discover your future?

"How will you use it to benefit other people, your community, your state and your nation?"

Wiley had some suggestions, Jischke said. He told the graduates of 1908 they must work long and hard and not expect quick results. But most of all, Wiley emphasized that honesty and integrity are assets that no one can do without.

"Among the greatest lessons you have learned here at Purdue are honesty and integrity," Jischke said. "They are the true guideposts on the journey of discovery that will lead to your future."

Joseph Duchamp of Pitcairn, Pa., who received a doctorate degree in forestry and natural resources, provided the student response during the morning ceremony. Eleanor Edie Hattery of Columbus, Ohio, who received a bachelor's degree in biochemistry, provided the student response during the afternoon ceremony.

Deborah E. McDowell, a named professor at the University of Virginia, received an honorary doctorate from the College of Liberal Arts during the afternoon ceremony. She is an author and scholar in the field of African-American literature. McDowell of Charlottesville, Va., received her master's degree in American literature in 1974 and her doctorate degree in American/Afro-American literature in 1979, both from Purdue.

West Lafayette commencement DVDs for each school are available for purchase by contacting the Elliott Hall of Music Box Office at (765) 494-3933.

Writer: Christy Jones, (765) 494-1089, christyjones@purdue.edu

Sources: Martin Jischke, (765) 494-9708

Abby Bryant, assistant registrar for academic programs, commencement and departmental projects, (765) 494-8219, bryantah@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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